IN BRIEF (Page 23)

Golf

Coach training begins

The China Golf Association (CGA) and the Professional Golfers Association of Australia has begun its first coach-training program, in Beijing, from May 5 -10.

It is the second biggest strategic project by the CGA, after the China referee training program with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, last March.

The program will include elementary, medium, national and international classes, instructed by four golf coaching experts from Australia.

Australia's PGA will provide more material and tutors for following programs while the CGA will be in charge of planning, organization and supervision. The two associations will jointly issue certificates for coaches who pass their assessments.

Zhang Xiaoning, vice-president of the CGA, said the program would help develop the sport.

Athletics

Shanghai stars lined up

The 2008 Shanghai Gold Grand Prix is scheduled for Sept 20 at the Shanghai Stadium, and will offer another platform for world level athletes to compete, after the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Organizers said they would invite as many Olympic medal winners as possible.

Male athletes will compete in eight events, including 100m, 200m, 400m and 5,000m races, 110m hurdles, high jump, long jump and shot. There are also eight women's events: 100m, 400m, 1500m races, 100m and 400m hurdles, plus high jump, pole vault and triple jump.

Last year's event gathered big names such as Cuban teenager Dayron Robles in the 110m hurdles; World Athletics Final champion Daniel Kipchirchir Komen of Kenya in the 1,500m; world champion Donald Thomas in the high jump; world champion Michelle Perry of the United States in the women's 100m hurdles; Australian Jana Rawlinson in the women's 400m hurdles; and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia.

Basketball

Yi returns to national team

NBA rookie Yi Jianlian joined the national team's training camp in Beijing yesterday.

The 21-year-old from Dongguan, South China's Guangdong province, returned to Beijing after participating in the Olympic torch relay in Sanya, Hainan. He is expected to take two-week's off to recover from his injured right wrist.

"The time is enough for me," he said. "I am confident that both me and Yao Ming will be able to be at our best shape ahead of the Games."

The 2.12m power forward started 55 games in his rookie season, averaging a decent 8.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in those games.

"After spending a whole season in NBA, I am a lot stronger and have a better understanding of the game," he said.

Reebok launches 'Yao Ignition'

Sportswear giant Reebok, sponsor of China's NBA all-star center Yao Ming, has launched an advertising campaign known as "Yao Ignition", around the nation's universities.

The first stage of the campaign took place on Tuesday at the Beijing Institute of Technology, where all Yao's shoes, since he joined the Houston Rockets in 2002, have been put on show.

The campaign will last for over a month and will travel to 18 universities in seven cities.

It aims to ignite student interest in basketball and inspire support for Yao, who is still recovering from a knee injury.

Reebok has designed a pair of limited-edition shoes for Yao's Olympic games in Beijing, in a limited edition of 2008 pairs.

(China Daily 05/08/2008 page23)